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File System Messaging Interface🔗

The file system messaging interface is a machine interface provided by the sedex-Client. It allows the business applications of a sedex participant to send sedex messages and receive sedex messages using files and folders that are available in all operating systems and programming languages and therefore allow a particularly simple and clear integration. In other words, the sedex file system messaging interface allows a business application to exchange data with other business applications connected to the sedex platform.

The two messaging interfaces of the sedex-Client

The file system messaging interface has been offered by sedex since version 1.0. Since version 7.0, the Messaging REST API has been offered as an optional alternative for sending and receiving sedex messages. Both interfaces will continue to exist in parallel and are equivalent.

Overview of the file system messaging interface🔗

sedex-Client's messaging interface

The interface consists of the following file system folders ( is the root folder where the sedex-Client is installed.)

  • <sedex_home>/interface/outbox

Messages ready to be sent have to be placed in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/inbox

Messages that have been received for this participant are found in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/receipts

Technical receipts for messages submitted for sending are found in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/processed

Processed (i.e., sent or rejected) messages are found in this folder.

Message format🔗

A sedex message consists of two files:

  1. An envelope file (contains the metadata of the message)

    • Format: XML
    • Must conform to the envelope schema definition eCH-0090 standard version 1
    • Format of the file name: envl_XXX.xml
    • For more information, refer to the sedex Envelope Format section.

  2. A data file (containing the payload of the message)

    • Format: Arbitrary content format (text or binary) as required by the consuming business application
    • Format of the file name: data_XXX.YYY
    • For more information, refer to the sedex Payload Format section.

For a given message, the variable part of both the envelope and data file names (XXX in the example) must be identical (e.g., a unique identifier generated by a business application). The sedex-Client will reject a message if the envelope does not conform to the XML schema eCH-0090 (an error receipt will be generated).

See Send a test message for an example of an envelope and a data file.

Sending messages🔗

Sending a sedex message is straightforward. A business application must:

  1. Place the payload file data_XXX.YYY into the sedex-Client’s outbox folder
  2. Place the envelope file envl_XXX.xml into the sedex-Client’s outbox folder

Payload first

The sequence of writing or copying files into the outbox is crucial: ensure the data file is placed in the outbox before the envelope.

Receiving messages🔗

Receiving a sedex message is easy. A business application must:

  1. Check the sedex-Client’s inbox folder for a new envelope file
  2. Retrieve the new data file from the sedex-Client’s inbox folder

Scan for new envelopes

The method of polling incoming messages from the inbox by envelope is important: a message is only fully received once the envelope has been written.

Processing receipts🔗

In the sedex system, receipts serve as confirmations that a transmitted message has either been successfully delivered or encountered an issue during processing.

They provide transparency in message exchanges by documenting the status of each transmission.

To receive a sedex receipt, a business application can:

  1. Check the sedex-Client's receipt folder for a new receipt file.
  2. Parse the receipt, identify the message it corresponds to (see messageId), and handle it according to the status code.
  3. Delete the processed receipt.

For more details about receipt handling, refer to the sedex Receipts section.

Receipts confirm only the reception

Receipts do not confirm that the recipient has processed the message but only indicate that it has been received by the recipient’s sedex client.